Team Harmony

by hina.r3dx

The uniting of two noble clans through their offspring. From the time that Hinata Hyuuga was born, it was decided that she was to be wed to the eldest Uchiha, who was currently six years old, despite the youngest Uchiha being born a few months before her. It was purely political. (Rating will go up to M in the future.)

15. P15: Farewell

Hinata woke up the next morning feeling as though her hands were on fire. She'd overdone it the previous afternoon and now she was dealing with the consequences, but she couldn't find it in herself to regret it at all. She applied the Hyuuga's special healing salve—she had yet to make it correctly but she was doing her best—and wrapped her hands and fingers in bandages to risk irritating it any more than necessary. As she was getting ready for school, she avoided looking at her dresser, more specifically at the pictures framed atop said dresser.

Pictures of her and her mother, her and her sister, her and her best friends plus Itachi, and then finally, the one that would hurt her the most, her and Shisui. It was taken the afternoon he'd stopped by for some tea and to get to know her better as they'd only met a few times with the Uchiha brothers and sometimes Naruto. She found that she truly enjoyed Shisui's company as he made her laugh until her sides hurt and she was crying. It was a simple picture. They were sitting side-by-side in the tearoom and the garden was in full bloom behind them, and the smiles on their faces were wide.

Without looking, she put the frame down and turned away from it. Shisui's death, and the manner in which it happened, hurt her greatly. She was too exhausted to tackle those feelings and opted to deal with them at another time. Besides, she was not the only one hurting and she needed to remain strong should any of her friends, or her fiancé, need her.

When she met Neji outside, he greeted her with a warm smile but she could see underneath it. That he knew about Shisui, and she was grateful he didn't mention it. Neji understood her that way. She returned his smile as a thank you and they waited in silence in front of the compound gates for the Uchiha Brothers.

Hinata smiled at them when they came around the corner before it turned into a frown upon seeing Sasuke's face.

"What happened?" She asked, gesturing to his mouth.

Sasuke shrugged. "I was just practicing a new jutsu," he said.

Hinata looked at Itachi and sighed softly when he nodded. "You have to take care of yourself," she said. She dug into her school bag and took out a small container of the special salve and a couple of bandaids. "This will help you heal faster."

"What is it?" Sasuke asked.

"It's my family's special salve. It is very helpful," she explained. She handed her bag to Neji and opened the container. The tips of her fingers were not bandaged so it made it easier to scoop some of the salve up and gently apply it to what looked to be small burns marks and irritation around Sasuke's mouth.

Sasuke's face went red at her touching his face, but he didn't move to stop her or mention that he could do it on his own. He tried to justify it to himself by thinking that only a Hyuuga would know how to apply it correctly. Hinata was so engrossed by her task that she didn't even realize or turn red when he started looking directly at her. Usually, she was so shy, but he thought that she looked better when she was so focused and determined like in the midst of training or during her schoolwork. He supposed he was weird like that.

Itachi watched the moment with a barely contained amused smile. Sasuke was rigid and Hinata didn't seem to notice as she was too busy caring for his little brother. His little brother who had the biggest crush on the Hyuuga standing before them. The same little brother who would never admit it to himself even when he realized it. His foolish little brother.

Neji stood off to the side, huffing inaudibly but couldn't help but be amused by the younger Uchiha's transfixed gaze as well as the blush on his cheeks that didn't look to be irritation. He looked away once again, deciding that this was more of a private moment between the two of them.

"And now the bandages," Hinata mumbled. She placed a bandaid on either side of his mouth, the left bandaid being a bit higher on his face than the right. She took a step back and smiled in approval when she overlooked her work. "There."

Itachi cleared his throat quietly, effectively snapping Sasuke back to reality.

"Th…thanks," Sasuke muttered.

Hinata smiled wider. "Sure. Let's get going now," she said, taking her bag from Neji with a small 'thank you'. It took a few minutes, but eventually Sasuke was able to shake off the situation and engage in conversation. The air felt different but neither pointed it out. They knew the reason. Shisui was supposed to return from his mission today officially, but he wasn't going to show up. He wasn't going to surprise them after school, not this time. Hinata, Sasuke, and especially Itachi's hearts all felt heavy.

Itachi did his best to keep his smile on his face for their sake, but he knew it wasn't going to matter by tonight. When it's discovered that he left and, in doing so, also had a hand in Shisui's death as running would automatically make him guilty of this, they would never be the same again. After he returned home from dropping the kids off, he was going to go and prepare for his travels. There wasn't much he needed other than his gear and, perhaps, a single picture of his loved ones to keep hidden from his future "comrades" in the Akatsuki.

"Brother?" Sasuke called out. Itachi looked down at him. "Will you attend our training again after school?"

Itachi ruffled his hair. "Of course. I promised, didn't I?" He replied.

"Will you also come with me to Hinata's after my individual training?"

"If Hinata-san is okay with that."

Hinata smiled widely. "Of course!" Her smile turned a bit sad as she added, "We can set out a cup for Shi-kun, in his honor."

"You're very kind," Itachi said. He can only imagine the field day Shisui would have if he heard that. He enjoyed teasing Sasuke and Naruto by being extra affectionate with Hinata, and it worked. The boys often became annoyed, very quickly. Itachi smiled at the memories of it all before pushing those away.

When they arrived at the academy, the three thanked Itachi and went inside the building with other children who preferred to come a bit earlier than others. Itachi waited there for a moment, just taking everything in and memorizing everything he already had long ago when he was their age. Truthfully, he wanted to memorize how content, albeit emotionally hurt, his little brother and Hinata were as they walked into the academy, talking and smiling at one another. He wanted to keep it in mind for when things got hard and he needed reminding of what it was he was fighting for—he wanted to look back at this very moment so it could give him the strength to continue.

He stayed there for a moment longer before turning around and going back the way he came, back home to prepare himself and to think of his plans to approach Danzo. At the very least, he wanted to warn Danzo of what he was capable of if he did not get a chance to eliminate him.

He would do right by his village.

"Itachi? Is that you?" His mother asked when he walked into the house.

"Yes, it's me. I'm just going to my room for a bit before I go for a walk," he said as he walked into the kitchen to see her preparing a late breakfast.

"Would you like to eat breakfast with me?"

Itachi looked over at the food she made and smiled at her. "Sure, it all looks wonderful, Mother."

Itachi washed his hands before sitting down next to his mother at the table. They ate silently. It was one of his favorite things about her, that she didn't feel the need to fill the silence and that it was a pleasant one and not a strained one like his father exuded. Growing up, he never really found time to spend with her as he was quickly put into the academy and then made a ninja at the age of seven after only one year. He grew up too fast to enjoy any semblance of a childhood, let alone time to enjoy his own mother.

At realizing this, he set his eyes upon her, thinking to himself that he wished to hug her. After all, it was going to be years until he saw her again, if at all. He hoped that, despite everything that will be said about him, she will never doubt him as his father does. That she'll maintain her opinion of him not being able to do something so horrendous to his best friend. If Sasuke doubted him eventually, he would be okay with that, but he needed his mother to always believe he didn't do it.

"Is there something on my face?" Mikoto asked when she noticed him staring.

Itachi lifted his napkin and dapped a spot next to her mouth. "There was just some rice," he lied with a smile. Lying, unfortunately, always came easy to him. He was a shinobi after all. Withholding information was part of the job description.

Mikoto giggled. "I guess I'm just a messy eater today."

"You're always graceful, mother," Itachi chuckled. They continued eating in that silence that Itachi took comfort in, one that he wished to bottle up and save for later when he needed it. After finishing his bowl of rice, he set his chopsticks down and bowed his head to his mother. "Thank you for breakfast."

"Of course, sweetheart. Do you have any plans today?" She asked.

"No, just the walk. It's been a long time since I just walked about the village without a destination in mind," he answered. "I think I'll stay out until it's almost time to pick up Sasuke, Hinata-san, and Naruto-san from school."

Mikoto gave him a teasing smile. "You seem to be getting along very well with Hinata-chan."

Itachi gave her a kind of tight smile. "She's very kind and can handle both Sasuke and Naruto-san well. They need her gentle yet firm hand on their team," he explained. "Those two probably would've killed one another by now."

Mikoto laughed. "Yes, they do seem to be natural rivals but also like brothers as well. I know your relationship with Sasuke isn't anything like that, but it's only because you're older and more mature."

Itachi nodded at this. "Naruto-san would be a wonderful brother to Sasuke. I do hope that these three will be on the same squad," he said. "Minato-san being the Hokage will greatly help with that, I believe. He's training them together now, I doubt he'd want them to be split up after all this."

"You're right. I'm positive they'll be a team come graduation. I only wonder who their teacher will be," Mikoto said, tilting her head in thought.

Itachi thought about this for a moment as well as he hadn't thought of that. It was going to be tough for any teacher to follow up with Minato Namikaze, so it had to be taken into careful consideration. He's positive Minato already had someone in mind. Maybe he should ask him during their training. Either way, he knew his little brother and friends were destined for great things, especially with the positions they were set to inherit. Hinata, the Hyuuga Clan; Sasuke, the Uchiha Clan after he left; and Naruto, a future Hokage after his father.

And that's not to mention that his marriage contract with Hinata will be passed to Sasuke upon his joining the Akatsuki. Together, they'd rule the two noble clans of Konohagakure which meant an extreme amount of physical and political power, and once they had children the possibilities of a new dojutsu were infinite. Unfortunately, if they don't manage to change the world into a time of peace by the time that happens, then it would be for naught. But he had faith. He had to.

As Itachi was helping his mother clean up, she went silent in a way that sounded like she wanted to say something.

"Is something wrong?" He asked her.

She seemed to hesitate for a moment before nodding. "About Shisui and your father, are you okay?"

Itachi smiled but it didn't reach his eyes. "I'm okay."

Mikoto regarded him for a moment before opening her arms to her oldest son. "Come here." Itachi's eyes widened and he slowly walked into his mother's arms. He towered over her now and she couldn't remember when Itachi had gotten so tall. He leaned his head on her shoulder and stood there as she wrapped her arms around him. "No matter what, I know you would never do anything like that."

Itachi shut his eyes tightly and prayed that he would never let her down. "You do?"

Mikto hugged him tighter. "Of course! And I think your father does deep down as well, but he's just…looked to for a number of things."

Itachi understood Fugaku's job all too well, and he wasn't truly upset with him concerning that. It was more that the look in his father's eyes showed that he seemed to doubt him, that he was doubting Itachi's innocence.

"I know," Itachi said, hoping to assure her.

Mikoto squeezed him once more before letting go. "I didn't realize you were already so tall," she laughed. She put her hand on his cheek. "You're very strong and talented, and smart, and handsome. You are going to do great things for this clan and the Hyuuga Clan as well."

"I will always do my best to…not disappoint you, mother. I promise."

Mikoto frowned a bit. "Don't worry about things like that. Just do what makes you happy, do what needs to be done to secure that happiness as well," she stated. "You can never disappoint me, my sweet boy."

Itachi smiled but it felt bittersweet. "Thank you."

Mikoto pulled her hand back and stepped away to continue washing the dishes. "You go on your walk now or whatever it is you have planned."

Itachi thanked her again before returning to his room and getting his gear together. He was going to go in his standard Anbu uniform. He checked all of his weapons before deciding to clean and sharpen all of them. It was something he enjoyed doing even though most others found it boring. He loved the routine and that it required him to be focused just enough to make sure it was done correctly but not so much that he couldn't think about anything else.

As he picked up a kunai, his eyes automatically found the one that Hinata had given him so long ago. He kept it sitting on his dresser for no reason other than it reminded him of those powerful words to her attacker and would-be kidnapper. Slowly, he set his supplies aside and walked to his dresser where he stared at it closely before eventually picking it up and returning to his spot on his bed. This time, rather than picking up the one he had before, he proceeded to sharpen and clean Hinata's kunai. Afterward, when he was putting everything into his pouches, he added it in there and smiled at the lilac grip. It was wildly out of place and stood out, but he found that he didn't mind it all that much.

After saying goodbye to his mother, he left the house and the Uchiha grounds to simply wander about. He wanted to take everything in one last time. He had until around midnight before this Tobi man came to find him. By then, he would have already dealt with Danzo, spoken with the Hokage, and left the village. He needed to be swift.

---

During lunch, Hinata opted to sit in the classroom rather than be outside with everyone else. With how closely Sasuke was watched, he had refrained from staying behind and she didn't know where Naruto went, just that he left as soon as Iruka dismissed them for lunch. Hinata didn't mind it; she wanted to be alone right now.

She was so caught up in her thoughts that she didn't hear Naruto approaching the classroom door or walking in. "Hinata," he called out.

Hinata jumped. "N-Naruto, hi," she said, silently berating herself for spacing out so badly. She needed to shake everything off and focus on her training and studies.

Naruto sat down next to her and gave her a wide smile that didn't quite reach his eyes. "Not really feeling great, huh?" He said.

"It's a…difficult situation," she sighed softly. "Are you holding up okay?"

Naruto gave a small shrug as he nodded. "I, um, I picked these for you," he stated as he held up two fully bloomed dandelions. "Th-they were the best-looking ones I could find!"

Hinata looked from Naruto to the flowers a couple of times before breaking out in a genuine smile. "These are lovely," she giggled, taking them from him and looking at them closer before looking back up at him. "Thank you so much, Naruto."

Naruto's face went bright red and he chuckled sheepishly as he ducked his head a bit. "I-I just wanted you to smile."

Hinata reached over and gave his hand a squeeze. "You're so kind." She took one of them and put it behind Naruto's ear before doing the same to herself with the other one. "Now we match!" She chortled.

Naruto looked at her in awe before laughing with her. "We match!" He repeated.

"What are you two doing?" Sasuke said as he suddenly appeared at the door Naruto left open. He walked closer to the duo with pursed lips.

Hinata smiled up at him, causing him to pause as she hadn't smiled since earlier this morning. "Naruto picked me flowers!"

Sasuke observed the dandelion tucked behind her right ear before looking at the one behind Naruto's left ear. He felt…annoyed that they were matching. Sasuke leaned closer to Naruto. "I don't get a flower?"

Naruto frowned. "I didn't think you wanted something like that. It's more up Hinata's alley. Did you…want me to go pick you one?" He asked confusedly.

Sasuke let out a long sigh. "If the girls see me wearing a flower, they're gonna start bringing me some and that's the last thing I want," he explained as he rolled his eyes. "And don't even get me started on if they see me wearing a matching one with Hinata. I don't want them to bother her."

Hinata bit her lip and glanced away briefly. "It's okay," she told him.

Sasuke shook his head. "I avoid you a lot in school so they won't do anything to you." He leaned against the desk behind him. "With us training together with Minato and Kushina-sensei, it's harder but so long as they don't mess with you."

Hinata gave him a kind of sad smile that he didn't know how to decipher. "We'll pick you one after school. We'll match then!" She said, hoping to assure him.

Naruto watched the interaction between the two with narrowed eyes. He felt frustrated because they were so close and he felt like he was the odd one out. It's bad enough that they were from two of the noblest clans in the village, but he thought they would see him as an equal. He felt like he fell to the wayside when they were all together.

"Naruto?" Hinata said.

Naruto shook his head slightly. "Yeah?"

"Did you want to?" He must've looked as confused as he felt because Hinata just giggled before repeating, "I asked if you wanted to come over after training. Sasuke and Itachi-san are coming over for tea."

"You want me to be there?" He asked quietly.

"What do you mean? Of course, I want you there," she replied.

"You haven't invited me lately, is all," he mumbled.

Hinata glanced over at Sasuke who just shrugged and looked away as it didn't really involve him. "Well, I know that Minato-sensei is getting closer to being the Hokage. I-I didn't want to cut into your time with him, and I hadn't asked you because I didn't want to put you on the spot or make you choose." She grabbed Naruto's hand again. "You're always welcome at my home, I promise. You're one of my best friends!"

Naruto stared down at her hand clutching his before smiling up at her. "Really?" She nodded vigorously. "You're one of my best friends, too! And you're always welcome at my house. Both of you," he added to include his other best friend. Sasuke just smiled while Hinata thanked him and then apologized again. "It's okay! I just wanted to tell you how I felt."

"I'm glad. I would hate for there to be anything to come between all of us," Hinata responded. "We're a team."

"Yeah, we'll always tell each other everything!" Naruto agreed. "Right, Sasuke?"

Sasuke rolled his eyes but it was fond. "That should go without saying, but yeah."

Iruka strolled in just then with the rest of the class. "Oh, there you three are." Hinata bowed her head, while Naruto and Sasuke returned to their seats along with everyone else. "A message came from Namikaze-san." He took the slip of paper to Naruto first since Minato was his father.

Naruto passed it to Sasuke who then stood and took it to Hinata. They nodded to each other and class resumed as always.

Meet us at the lake after school

---

It didn't take Itachi long to sense the three ninjas following him on his walk. It also didn't take him long to figure out that it was Uchiha clansmen, but he didn't know if his father had sent them or if they were acting on their own. Fugaku had said he'd keep an eye on Itachi, but with how busy he was as the Head of the Police Force and a Clan Head, it would make sense that he would assign people to him. He truly didn't know, and he supposed it didn't matter. What did is the fact that he is being watched.

To others, it just looked like he was going on a regular walk, and he was but he was also scouting the best place to leave the village as well as different places Danzo could possibly ambush him. He was going to get to Danzo first, but on the off chance he didn't, he wanted to be prepared for all scenarios.

After another hour of being followed, he started to get offended. Did they seriously think he wouldn't notice them? Did they have that little faith in his shinobi abilities? He refrained from letting any emotions appear on his face, but it was difficult. He needed to lose them.

He walked into a small cafe and immediately walked out after having transformed into a regular-looking civilian. After a few turns down different streets and stopping every now and then to appear as though he was window shopping, he concluded that they were not following him anymore. They'd realize it in time and if they didn't find him in time, they'd just be waiting around the academy for him so he took this time to rush to this one area near the Uchiha grounds in the forest. It was a section of the village wall that wasn't guarded nearly as well since Uchihas could protect this area fairly well.

This would be the area he'd escape from. It made the most sense, and the only other person who would come to this conclusion would be the Hokage and possibly his father. Hiruzen was a smart man and once he got wind of, hopefully, Danzo's death by Itachi's hand, he'd deduce that this is where he'd flee the village from. That would give him enough time to speak to the Hokage about his new mission. About being an informant in the Akatsuki. Hopefully, he didn't mind Itachi having killed one of his oldest friends.

He wouldn't be able to come and go as he pleased after killing a Konoha official and he would be in the bingo books, but it was going to be worth it. The Uchiha and especially the village wouldn't have to worry about that snake in the village any longer and peace could be maintained.

Itachi spent a few more minutes in the solitude of the forest before turning and heading back. No doubt, his tails had realized he was long gone and would be scouring the village in search of him. Easily, he slipped back into the crowd in the marketplace and continued on his way with a small smirk on his face.

---

Hinata was washing her hands after using the restroom when she was suddenly surrounded by a group of girls who were glaring at her maliciously. Hinata turned off the faucet and wiped her hands on her jacket with a small grimace—she hated getting her clothes wet like this.

She turned to face them rather than watching their reflections in the mirror. "Is there something I can help you with something?" She asked with a polite smile.

The girl who stood in the middle scoffed as she flipped her light brown hair over her shoulder. Hinata recognized her as the girl in the classroom next door. "You think you're so much better than us, don't you?" She said. "Just because you're a Hyuuga, with your freaky eyes, and a student of the future Hokage. But most of all, because you get to spend so much time with Sasuke-kun."

Hinata shook her head. "I don't think that at all," she replied.

"Yeah, right!" The girl lifted her hand and smacked Hinata across the face. Hinata could've easily dodged it and retaliated but she knew doing so would only make it worse. Besides, it wasn't like she actually wanted to hurt them. It was better to just let them do what they were going to and be done with it; she couldn't deny the anger she felt though. Not even her father had ever smacked her. "Just shut up! You think you're all that because he shows you just a little bit of attention out of pity! You're just a dull, sad-sack excuse for a shinobi."

Hinata moved her hair out of her face and slowly exhaled from her nose as she looked directly into her attackers' eyes. She wouldn't fight back or even say a word, but she was going to make them do it while looking into her eyes.

This did nothing but anger the girl. "Don't look at me like that," she seethed, stepping forward and grabbing a handful of Hinata's hair. She shook her almost violently, and Hinata did not once break eye contact. "I said, quit it!" The girl yelled, smacking Hinata again.

Hinata bit the inside of her cheek to keep her anger in check, but still, her gaze did not waver.

"Ame, c'mon, let's go back to class already," another spoke up from her left. The girl, Ame, tched at her, gripping her hair even tighter.

"Stop going around acting all smug or we'll find you again," Ame threatened.

"Tell me how I am being smug and I will be sure not to do it," Hinata said calmly.

"Quit being around Sasuke-kun all the time!" Ame replied.

"But he and I share the same teacher, along with Naruto-kun."

"Ame, look at the flower in her hair. I think I saw that annoying Uzumaki kid with a matching one."

Ame finally let her hair go and step back with a laugh. "You're going out with that blonde idiot? That's the best thing I heard all day!"

Hinata's gaze hardened. "Naruto-kun is not an idiot," she said, defending him but that just made Ame laugh even harder.

"I can't even be mad anymore. Just be happy going out with that loser and don't get too comfortable with Sasuke-kun."

Ame continued laughing as she left the restroom followed by her small group of friends. They all shoved her as they passed by her and when they finally left, Hinata turned to look at the damage Ame had done. Her cheek was red and slightly swollen and her hair was ruffled where she'd grabbed it, but it was all fixable.

She used her medical ninjutsu to get rid of the mark on her skin and combed her fingers through her hair to mend it. She took a few deep breaths to calm the anger she'd held back throughout the situation. When her pounding heart finally slowed, she left the restroom only to run into Sakura.

"Oh, hey! The teacher sent me to check on you," Sakura explained.

Hinata gave her a tight smile. "Thank you, Haruno-san. I was just on my way back."

When she moved to continue walking back to class, Sakura stopped her. "Um, I just saw a group of mean-looking girls leaving here. Did they… are you okay?"

Hinata was stunned for a moment before smiling genuinely. "I'm fine," she replied.

"It's because of Sasuke-kun, isn't it?"

"...Please, don't tell him."

"Why not? If they're hurting you then he can help!" Sakura argued.

Hinata shook her head. "They're doing this to get his attention and it would just make the situation worse. I don't…need him to fight my battles," she elucidated.

"You really care about him, don't you?" Sakura inquired.

"Of course. We share the same sensei."

"You don't…love him?"

Hinata shook his head. "I'm not sure if you know how clans work, but from the moment I was five, my husband was picked out for me. My eyes will never stray." She wasn't sure why she was explaining this to Sakura, but it felt nice to just talk to another girl, someone who wasn't at her throat all the time.

"That's—That sounds sad," Sakura mumbled, her eyes sad for the young clan heiress and all the weight she took upon her shoulders.

Hinata shook her head. "He is very kind, so I'm lucky. It's sad but it doesn't have to be."

Sakura seemed surprised by her response before grinning. "Let's head back. I like your flower, by the way."

Hinata reached up and touched it. "Thank you. Naruto picked it for me."

"Yeah, I saw him with one, too! Is he gonna be your husband?" Hinata shook her head. "Who is it gonna be?"

Hinata smiled apologetically. "It will be publicly announced when I graduate, until then I'm not allowed to say." Sakura nodded understandingly and they walked back in silence the rest of the way.

When she sat at her desk, Hinata let out a very long, quiet sigh and felt like slouching over in her seat. She felt exhausted and she hadn't even done any training yet. She was barely able to focus the rest of class.

When Iruka dismissed them, Hinata's head immediately lowered to her desk. She just wanted to go cloud-watching or eat junk food with Choji. Anything but having to move her body from this spot.

"Hinata?" She turned her head to see Shikamaru looking down at her with a quirked brow. "Everything good?"

Maybe it was because Shikamaru knew what was going on, she wasn't sure, but she almost laughed at his alarmed look at seeing her eyes water. "I'm g-good," she said, moving her head back so her hair covered her face again.

Shikamaru took the seat next to her. "We have a few moments before Naruto and Sasuke are done talking with Kiba and Choji. Do you wanna escape or something?" He offered.

Hinata giggled. "That would be lovely," she replied. Shikamaru grabbed her hand and prepared to run, but she gripped his hand tighter and pulled him instead to keep him planted in the seat. "But I can't. I have training and I can't miss it again. Thank you, though," she said, turning to give him a smile before letting his hand go. She picked her head up and took a deep breath before nodding to herself.

"Did something happen while you were in the restroom?" Shikamaru asked.

Hinata wasn't surprised he'd figured that out. "Yes, but it's not a big deal."

He rolled his eyes. "What happened exactly?"

"This girl from next door, Ame, smacked me and pulled my hair because she doesn't want me around Sasuke," she explained, leaning closer to him so no one overheard. "But she stopped when someone told her I was with Naruto."

At that, Shikamaru's eyes went to the flower in her hair before looking past her at the one Naruto had. "Are you?"

Hinata blinked. "You're aware of how clans work, yes? You know my husband was picked out for me by the time I was five."

He shrugged. "That's years away, I wouldn't be surprised if you had at least one boyfriend before being officially engaged."

She shook her head. "Not at all. To me, I am already engaged and my eyes will always stay planted firmly on my future husband," she explained. "I will never be anything but loyal to my village and my family."

Shikamaru huffed out a laugh. "The perfect heiress," he laughed. "I guess that's a good thing though, to be that loyal at such a young age. I hope those girls will quit bothering you now."

"Hinata!" Naruto called out, causing her and Shikamaru to face him. "Let's get going! We don't wanna leave Itachi waiting."

Hinata grabbed her school bag. "Thank you for checking on me and listening to my troubles," she told Shikamaru with a bright smile. "Be safe."

He raised his hand in a wave. "Yeah, you too."

He watched her leave the room with Sasuke and Naruto before Choji cleared his throat, catching his attention. "What?" Choji shrugged but the smirk on his face made Shikamaru groan.

"I didn't even say anything!" Choji laughed.

"You didn't have to. C'mon, let's just go," he muttered, grabbing his bag.

"Do you like Hinata-chan?" Choji suddenly asked.

Shikamaru groaned again. "Troublesome," he replied. Choji pulled a candy out of his bag and ate it with a grin on his face, knowing completely what Shikamaru meant.

---

Itachi was waiting by the front gate, pointedly ignoring the three ninja lurking about, when Sasuke called out to him. Instantly, he felt himself relax at the sight of his smiling brother. Behind him, Naruto and Hinata waved to him and he quirked a brow at the dandelions they had in their hair, but he thought it was adorable. He was more surprised that Sasuke didn't seem upset about it at all.

"Going home with your boyfriend, Hinata-chan? Have fun!" Hinata froze momentarily before giving a tight smile to the girls that cornered her in the restroom.

"Boyfriend?" Sasuke questioned, glaring at the girls who yelled that, causing them to shrink back. "What are they talking about?"

Hinata shook her head. "It's nothing," she said, trying to smile assuringly.

"Why are they talking to you so informally?" Sasuke pushed. "They're not even in our class."

"I'm not sure. Let's just get going," she said, avoiding the questions. Itachi narrowed his eyes in thought just a bit before sighing. No doubt the flowers in Naruto and Hinata's hair made people assume that they were going out. But the way that girl spoke, it wasn't as friendly as she made it appear, especially taking into consideration how Hinata reacted to it. She was trying to keep something a secret from her friends.

Sasuke looked at her suspiciously but followed her lead and they were off. "Oh, Minato-sensei wanted us to meet at the lake today," Sasuke explained when Itachi shot him a questioning glance at the direction they were taking.

Hinata exclaimed and rushed to the side of the road. The three waiting for her despite their confusion. When she came back, she had four dandelions in her hands. She put one behind Sasuke's ear. "Now you match with us," Hinata smiled.

"Thanks," he mumbled, looking away with a small blush.

She went to Itachi and held one out to him. "You can match with us, too, Itachi-san," she said. Rather than taking it from her, he bent over to her height and let her put it behind his ear as she did for Sasuke.

"Thank you, Hinata-san," he replied, smiling at her. "Who are the other two for?"

"Minato-sensei and Kushina-sensei!" She said excitedly. "It isn't too childish, is it?" They continued walking to their destination.

"I'm sure they'll be happy to have such a gift," Itachi assured her. He didn't want to explicitly say that she is a child and possibly upset her. "Do you know what training you're going to do today?"

Sasuke piped up at this. "We usually do chakra control and endurance at the lake!" He said excitedly.

"I'm ready to get to training!" Naruto added. Hinata smiled at her best friends.

"Are you good to go, Hinata-san? I noticed your bandaged hands. Did you injure yourself?" Itachi asked.

Hinata looked down at her hands and nodded. "Yes, they'll be fine. Thank you for asking."

"I was wondering what happened," Sasuke sighed. "Did you practice too hard on your training dummy?"

"Ah, yes. I was being careless yesterday."

Itachi put his hand on her head. "I think we can all relate to that, hm?" Sasuke and Naruto agreed solemnly. "Do your best to focus today."

Hinata looked up at him, slightly shifting his hand that was still atop her head. "I won't let you down," she said determinedly. His gaze went serious and he gave her a nod.

"Hey, kiddos!" Kushina greeted them as they entered the clearing that held the lake. "How was the academy?"

"Hinata has a gift for you guys!" Naruto yelled as he took Hinata's hand and pulled her into a short run to his parents. Minato and Kushina looked down at Hinata with gentle smiles, waiting patiently as they always did.

Hinata held up the dandelions. "I-I thought you would both like to m-match with us," she stuttered, mentally kicking herself for being so shy about something so small. The adults looked at the flowers and then realized that they all had one behind their ears.

"That's so sweet of you to include us, Hinata-chan," Minato said. He went to reach for one but Naruto stopped him.

"No, you gotta let her put it on for you! That's what we all did," he said, pointing back to the Uchiha brothers who confirmed.

Minato chuckled and got down on one knee. "Well, then I'd hate to ruin the tradition."

Hinata stepped forward and, with a small blush, tucked the flower behind his ear. She had to use both hands when his long hair kept getting in the way. When she finally managed to get it settled, she moved back and smiled at how it looked.

"It almost matches your hair, Minato-sensei," she giggled. She turned to Kushina. "Do you want me to put it on you, sensei?" She asked.

Kushina's smile was so motherly that it made Hinata's chest ache but she ignored that feeling and just felt lucky to be granted such a look. When her sensei got down on a knee next to Minato, she gently put the dandelion behind her ear.

"Yellow really compliments your hair, sensei," Hinata said in awe as she gently felt Kushina's soft hair. "It's so beautiful."

Kushina let out a hearty laugh as her face went a bit red. "You're so sweet, Hinata-chan!" She squealed as she pulled Hinata into a tight hug. "I just wanna put you in my pocket and take you home with us!"

Hinata was stunned for a moment. "A mother's hug," she mumbled to herself, but with how tightly she was being hugged, Kushina heard the soft-spoken words that made her heart squeeze. She'd nearly forgotten that Hinata's mother passed a couple of years ago, on the night she was almost kidnapped. Her hug turned from near-suffocating to very gentle.

"I got you," Kushina whispered. Hinata went a bit tense before relaxing and letting herself enjoy the moment. After nearly a minute, Kushina pulled away and got to her feet. "Okay, time for training!"

Minato dusted off his pants and stood next to Kushina. "As you've probably guessed, we're going to be working on your chakra endurance," he continued. "Your task for today is to run laps across the lake for as long as you possibly can. If your start feeling faint, it's time to stop."

"We'll be doing this for about an hour or until all three of you are out. Afterward, you're going to separate for individual training for an hour before working on your fuinjutsu penmanship the rest of training time," Kushina said.

The three students nodded their heads. "Yes, sensei!" They said in unison. They set their bags down near Itachi, who stood by a tree off to the side. Hinata handed her flower to him after he agreed to hold it. Sasuke and Naruto followed suit. Itachi suddenly found himself holding three dandelions as delicately as he could.

Hinata, Sasuke, and Naruto focused chakra to their feet and stepped out onto the water. They waited in excitement to begin.

"Remember, when you start feeling faint that means you stop," Minato reminded them. "Begin!"

All three broke out into a steady run across the lake. They knew better than to go all out in the very beginning, that was a sure way to exhaust yourself much too quickly. Rather, they liked to run side-by-side when doing laps like this. Sometimes they had conversations about random things and other times they corrected each other when someone was slacking. It was the perfect camaraderie. If they could exercise the same teamwork on an actual battlefield, they knew they stood a decent chance.

By the time they got ten laps in, Sasuke was starting to pant. Eleven laps in and Hinata was right behind him. By lap seventeen, both had to leave the lake in order to rest. They watched as Naruto kept going and going, and they weren't the least bit surprised. He had so much stamina that it was unnatural, but they knew he'd always been a hyperactive person.

"Here, let me restore some of your chakra," Kushina said as she came up behind them. She restored Hinata's first using medical ninjutsu, it wasn't all of her chakra but enough so that Hinata wasn't feeling drowsy anymore. She moved on to Sasuke afterward. "You both rest here while Naruto finishes up."

They thanked her and went back to watching their teammate as Kushina returned to Minato's side.

"At least we managed to do a couple more laps than last time," Sasuke sighed. "I wish we could do as much as Naruto."

"We'll just have to train harder," Hinata replied. Sasuke hummed in agreement before sighing at watching Naruto slip into the water with a yelp. "It seems Naruto's chakra control is still uneasy."

"You saw him stumbling when we were running?" Hinata nodded. "He has so much chakra but struggles to control it. I wonder why." They got up and went to their friend who was currently crawling out of the water with what looked to be a pout he was struggling to hold back.

"Okay, that's enough for now," Minato chuckled. "Naruto, take a rest."

"We wanted to talk to you three about something called elemental chakra," Kushina said when they were all seated together. "It's a shinobi's ability to use certain or all elements with their chakra. Each individual has a specific affinity. For example, my affinity is wind and I also have a knack for water."

"Mine are fire, wind, and lightning," Minato added. "You can have two or three that you're especially skilled at, but it is rare that someone can master all five elements—fire, wind, lightning, earth, and water."

"How can we find out what ours are?" Sasuke inquired.

"There are two different ways. One is to try out different types of elemental jutsus to see which one comes most naturally to you or you can find out using something called chakra paper which tells you when you apply chakra to it," Kushina answered. "Which would you three rather try out?"

"The jutsus," they said in unison, causing them to chuckle at each other.

Minato and Kushina smiled proudly. It was just like their students to want to train the hard way and learn through experiencing all they could. "Then we'll save that for tomorrow's training."

"My father showed me how to do the fireball jutsu yesterday, so I've been working hard on learning that," Sasuke said. The teachers had noticed the bandages around Sasuke's mouth when they first arrived but didn't ask questions.

"Yes, as far as we know, fire is every Uchiha's affinity," Minato replied. "It's no doubt yours as well, but it'd be good to explore other types and see what your secondary and third affinities are."

"I do want to mention that it is, of course, possible to use every type of elemental jutsu, but it is rare to come across someone who has mastered them like Minato said," Kushina clarified. The three looked at each other with excitement. They loved learning new things and practicing them over and over until they just about mastered them.

"Okay, it's time to separate for your individual training. Hinata, you'll go with Kushina to practice medical ninjutsu; Naruto, you will continue working on your chakra control; and Sasuke, I want to begin showing you a new jutsu that will work well with your shurikens," Minato said.

Hinata bowed to Minato before leaving to the far side of the clearing with Kushina. Naruto and Sasuke waited to be directed.

"Naruto, you'll be alternating between water-walking and leaf concentration in fifteen-minute intervals; however, should you fall into the water or drop your leaf, your fifteen minutes will start all over again."

Naruto groaned softly but bowed to his father and returned to the lake to begin his training.

Minato turned to Sasuke and he couldn't help but smile at how excited the small boy looked to be learning a new jutsu. "The jutsu I want to teach you is called the shadow shuriken jutsu. It's more of a visual trick. When facing against an enemy, this could come in handy." He pulled out two small shurikens and held them together. "Throw them together and one will overshadow the other, tricking the opponent into thinking there is only one and dodging that one thus rendering them unable to dodge the second one in time. However, should the enemy pick up on this trick, the whole technique is no longer useful," Minato explained. "Coupled with your shuriken skills, I believe you could utilize this. Although you don't necessarily need to use shuriken."

Sasuke nodded determinedly. "Yes, sensei." He stood and pulled out his tools.

"I'll stand over here and you throw them at me. I will tell you every time it is too obvious and you'll adjust accordingly. Let's go." Immediately, Sasuke threw the shuriken.

From across the clearing, Hinata was using her byakugan to closely watch Kushina's chakra and the flow of it into a bird she maimed. Hinata liked that Kushina kept alternating on different sizes each time they trained, so she never got used to a certain size. It kept her constantly adjusting to different kinds of chakra pathways, bettering her ability to heal correctly and efficiently.

"Okay, this is the last time I will be showing you this. You should be skilled enough to do so on your own," Kushina said. Hinata agreed silently.

"Thank you, Kushina-sensei. I will not let you down," Hinata replied. After Kushina caught another bird, Hinata took a steady breath and got to work.

On the lake, Naruto was easily walking across the lake, but he would waver every now and then, causing him to frown. It was frustrating that his chakra seemed more out of control than everyone else's. But he kept his head up and told himself that he'd never stop trying.

---

Itachi sat under the tree and went between all three to overlook what they were being taught. He was impressed by Sasuke's progress with the D-rank technique. He was equally impressed with Hinata's healing abilities. Naruto knew why he was having problems controlling his chakra the same way all high-ranking shinobi did. The Nine-Tailed Fox's chakra was an abundance and Naruto was just a kid still learning to control his chakra and the Tailed Beasts'. He would learn in time. He had to, and he never knew Naruto to give up.

He leaned back against the tree and felt around for the Uchiha tailing him. They were still there and Itachi wondered just how they weren't bored watching him all day when he was clearly doing nothing—aside from losing them in the Market district. He commended them. Maybe they weren't as reckless as he'd originally thought, but he wasn't going to hold his breath. Despite wanting to continue watching their training closely, Itachi allowed himself to stare off into the distance and let himself relax. With Minato and Kushina here, he didn't have to worry about suddenly being attacked. More importantly, he just wanted to get in more time to simply be before he enacted his plans for tonight…and probably never got the chance to do this again.

He let his mind wander toward the village, his clan, and what would become of it. He wondered about Danzo and his sketchy agenda. He wondered, and worried, for his little brother and his friends training hard right at this very moment. He wondered about his marriage contract with Hinata and how he was about to possibly break her heart in more ways than one come tonight. He thought about how he was going to have to push all his Heir duties onto his brother's shoulders, and how he wished things had gone differently. Especially with Shisui.

Shisui…

He missed his cousin dearly. He'd probably be sitting next to him right now making terrible jokes and saying horrible puns because he knew Itachi would eventually laugh at how silly they were. He'd no doubt look for every opportunity to get a rise out of Sasuke and Naruto—obviously through Hinata. He was supposed to be there now, waiting to go back to the Hyuuga compound before returning home and going to sleep in his bed. Instead, his body was still being looked over carefully by the Uchiha before it was properly disposed of.

This was how the world worked, Itachi reminded himself. Tomorrow was never for certain.

"Brother!" Sasuke huffed.

Itachi blinked and smiled up at his brother's pouting face. "Yes?"

"We're ready to go now. What were you looking at?" He asked as he turned to look out where Itachi had been. Itachi simply smiled and stood up before handing them their dandelions back.

He shook his head. "Nothing," he answered. "Let's get going."

Minato and Kushina walked with them until their street came up. "Naruto, are you coming with us for now?"

Naruto thought for a moment. "Hinata and Sasuke still have their clan training," he said.

Hinata piped up, "You can wait at my home."

Naruto smiled excitedly. "Really?! Awesome! I'll be home later!" Minato and Kushina waved and were off after reminding Naruto to be on his best behavior. "Thanks, Hinata!"

She smiled at him warmly. "Of course. Training will take a few hours, but I'm sure father would be willing to let me go sooner if you're waiting for me."

Naruto nudged her shoulder with his. "Are you using me to get out of training?" He teased.

Hinata giggled. "Not at all!"

"Uh-huh, I'm sure," he continued, grinning at her.

Itachi watched this interaction before he glanced over at Sasuke in time to see him roll his eyes. Itachi held back an amused grin, not wanting to anger his little brother. Watching Sasuke come into feelings he hadn't experienced before was emotional. His brother was growing up so fast—they all were—and he was sad because he was going to miss a lot of it. He pushed those thoughts to the back of his head as they came to the Hyuuga compound where they promised to be there by seven, as usual, before continuing on their way home.

"Did you want to train today?" He asked. Sasuke's ears perked up and he smiled wide.

"You mean it?!" Itachi nodded. "Awesome! I'm working on the fireball jutsu though, so can you come watch me?"

"Sure, little brother." Sasuke's once silent brooding turned into excited babbling.

They were barely past the Uchiha District entrance when Fugaku Uchiha appeared, calling out for Itachi. Sasuke immediately deflated at this.

"Yes?" Itachi asked.

"I need to discuss something important with you. Come with me."

Itachi silently sighed and turned to Sasuke, whose eyes were so sad that he felt his heart squeeze. He brought his fingers up to Sasuke's forehead and poked him. "Sorry, Sasuke. Next time." This made Sasuke both pout more and brighten up a bit and Itachi wasn't sure how that was, but he was glad his little brother wasn't too upset.

Sasuke ran off and he watched him go for a bit before facing his father and following after him. No doubt he wanted to ask about his whereabouts earlier when he fooled the Police Squad, and Itachi was going to tell him the truth.

He followed his father into his office where the three who had been following him immediately began glaring at him as he entered the room. He ignored them as he did most of the day.

"What did you do today?" Fugaku asked seriously.

"I walked with Sasuke, Hinata-san, and Neji-san to the academy, and then I came home and had breakfast with mother," he began. "I helped her clean up and then returned to my room where I polished and sharpened my tools. Afterward, I left home to walk about the village until it was time to pick up Sasuke, Hinata-san, and Naruto-san and take them to their training."

Fugaku sighed deeply. "These three watched you all day since you left the house. Were you aware?"

Itachi refrained from rolling his eyes and instead nodded. "Yes, it wasn't very hard to catch them following me."

"They said they lost you at some point in the market district, so I want to know what you did during that time."

"I simply continued on my walk," he answered. "I wanted to enjoy my day without being followed so that is what I did. Although, I'm more concerned with how long it took them to find me once again."

"Watch it, you little punk!" Inabi Uchiha spat.

"I think it's you who should actually watch," he supplied.

"Enough!" Fugaku said before a fight could break out. "Itachi, where did you specifically go during that time?"

"I did some window shopping, ate some food, and wandered around. I wasn't going around trying to murder someone if that is what you're asking." Itachi couldn't stand the way his own father doubted him, even though he understood that he was doing what he needed to do as a Clan Head. It didn't make it hurt any less, however.

Fugaku sighed again and stared at him for a long while before nodding. "Okay."

Inabi, Tekka, and Yashiro began protesting. "Fugaku-sama, there are hours of his whereabouts unconfirmed!"

Fugaku raised his hand, effectively silencing them. "I'm aware, but I can tell he's not lying. Or are you doubting my leadership skills?" Instantly, they bowed their heads.

"Not at all, Fugaku-sama. We apologize for offending you."

"Very well. You three are dismissed." When it was just him and his son, Fugaku turned his eyes back on him. "I wanted you to know that I did not order them to tail you. I found out when they came to me about your missing hours in which they could not find you." Itachi remained unmoved. "I understand you're going to be going to the Hyuuga compound today with Sasuke."

"Yes. Hinata-san wants to have tea and pour a cup in memory of Shisui," he answered. "We won't be home late."

"I didn't get to ask, but how did Sasuke take the news?"

Itachi looked away at this. "He was upset, but then he was his usual self, no doubt trying to cheer me up." He thought back to the smile plastered on his brother's face that didn't reach his eyes or the sparkle that was no longer there. Itachi didn't know how to help him through it, as he was still dealing with his grief in his own way—by pushing it down and not dealing with it at all.

Fugaku's eyes softened at this. "I see. He's a…good boy and I hope he can overcome this quickly. I hope the same for you as well, Itachi."

Itachi looked back at him. "I have been trying to, father," he said curtly. "Sasuke is waiting for me. Is there anything else we must discuss?"

"No. You're dismissed." Itachi bowed his head and left the room.

Fugaku felt… uneasy.

---

Hinata was finishing wrapping up the injuries she sustained during training when Mitsuki came in and announced that Sasuke and Itachi had arrived and were currently waiting with Naruto in the other room. She thanked her maid and made her way there. She'd invited Neji but he seemed to sense that this was going to be a very personal visit by the look in her eyes and she was thankful for that. Neji truly understood her.

"Hello, everyone," she greeted as she entered the room. Itachi stood and bowed his head.

"Thank you for inviting us, Hinata-san," Itachi said. "Your training went well?"

"Yes, it did. Thank you." She sat down between Sasuke and Naruto, with Itachi sitting on the other side of Sasuke. "Mitsuki-san will be coming to deliver the refreshments."

"The garden looks amazing, Hinata!" Naruto said in awe. "Have you planted anything new?"

Hinata brightened up. "Yes! With the construction of the greenhouse completed, I was able to plant many different herbs!" Then she got a little red. "I, um, I accidentally killed a couple of them but I figured everything out in time."

"Will you show us one day?" Naruto continued.

"Of course! Everything is still in infancy, but once it's fully matured, I'll give you three a tour of it," she said happily. Just then, Mitsuki knocked and entered the room with a full tray.

"Hinata-sama, I brought everything you asked for." She placed the tray on the table. Hinata thanked her before she left.

Gracefully, Hinata handed a cup to each of them before leaning over and placing one in the empty spot that Shisui had silently claimed as his own. Blinking back tears, she filled their cups one by one before stopping at the last one. She glanced around at the others and saw the pain in their eyes, even Itachi's although he hid his emotions better. Slowly, she poured tea into the cup and thought about her friend.

Shisui was never coming back.

But she hoped he found peace in the afterlife that he was unable to find here on Earth.

She returned to her spot and picked up her cup, wanting to say a few words but not trusting her voice to remain steady. She stared at the empty space across from her, where Shisui would be making silly faces at her to make her laugh. These memories would be all they had now, along with some photographs, and they had to cherish them.

"There was a time," Itachi began, his voice soft and almost unwilling to disturb the solemn silence that had engulfed the room, "where Shisui used his body flicker to try to scare the Uchiha Clan Head." He meant it to sound lighthearted and amusing but it came out stilted, unsure almost.

Sasuke glanced at Itachi before forcing a smile on his face. "Did he ever do it?" He asked.

"If you were to ever ask father, he'd definitely say no, but I saw it. I saw his face," Itachi chuckled. "Shisui, despite getting tossed like a ragdoll afterward, walked a little taller that day."

Hinata giggled. "I can just imagine it. He used to do that when he successfully annoyed you two," she said, looking at Sasuke and then Naruto.

Naruto focused his gaze on his hands fiddling in his lap before smiling sadly. "He would always help me perfect my tricks and pranks," he said, strained. "We used to pull them together until the next Hokage was announced. I'm…I'm gonna miss that!" The laugh he let out sounded so strained and wounded that Hinata couldn't help but reach over and squeeze his hand. Naruto turned his hand over and clung to hers.

Sasuke cleared his throat quietly and swallowed the lump in his throat. "He would help me train when Itachi wasn't able to and he had time. He was the one who first taught me how to throw a shuriken—" he paused, taking a deep breath "—and I got real good at it."

"You're terrific at it," Hinata agreed. She lowered her head when he realized it was her turn to share something. "Sh…Shi-kun would visit me here often. Part of me feels like I saw a different side of him when he did so. He was so…quiet and content. We would sit in silence and it felt peaceful."

Sasuke scoffed, "He was quiet with you? He was physically unable to stop talking."

Itachi chuckled. "Normally, I would agree but he and I always had similar meetings. He just loved making people laugh and acted silly to do so. There was never a dull moment with him."

The three around him agreed.

After a few moments of silence, she pulled out the object her father had given her just after training ended and placed it next to Shisui's tea.

Itachi's eyes widened at the small calming bag he'd seen Shisui clutch to just before he let himself fall from the cliff. He all but snatched it up. "Where did you get this?" He asked sharply.

"My father got it from yours this morning," she explained.

He just barely managed to hold back a frustrated groan. This needed to be with Shisui, not here. "I believe this should stay with him, Hinata-san. Do you mind if I take it back with me?" He asked, his voice tense and too calm.

Hinata caught onto his anger just as Sasuke did, the latter raising a brow in his direction. "I don't mind at all. Are you okay?"

Itachi nodded curtly. "I am fine. I just know that Shisui would want this with him, I apologize if I came off a bit curt."

Hinata shook her head. "No need to apologize. I actually thought the same," she assured him. "It was a gift and it should remain with him. Thank you."

He gave her a tight but warm smile. He then lifted his cup, the others doing the same. "Shisui was a great friend, cousin, and overall person. Despite his early departure, he left behind a multitude of people who care and love him deeply. He's gone now, but his will still remains within all of us. To our friend, Shisui."

"To Shisui," they followed. All three youngest drank as they held back their tears, and Itachi's eyes held a steel edge. He vowed to get Danzo…one way or another.

---

Later, after returning home, Itachi made a beeline for his father's office and knocked harshly on the door.

"Come in," Fugaku said. Itachi walked in and saw his father sorting through a stack of paperwork. "What is it, Itachi?"

He held up the calming bag. "Why was this returned to Hinata-san?"

Fugaku looked up and then sighed upon seeing the item. "It belonged to her, correct?"

"It was a gift, father. This item was of great importance to him, especially if you found it with his body. It should stay with him," he explained.

"It'll have to wait until the investigation is over."

"What will you do with his body afterward?"

Fugaku returned to his work. "That's not important right now. Go to bed, son," he said, voice tired and pulled thin. Itachi gripped the small bag tightly, the sounds of the herbs squeezing together could be heard in the otherwise quiet room.

"Whatever you decide to do with his body—bury it or cremate it—this bag belongs with him." With that, Itachi turned and left, slamming the door shut behind him. He took slow, deep breaths as he made his way up to his room, his hand still clutching the bag of herbs.

The bag was the last thing Shisui had clutched onto so tightly and Itachi wasn't going to let him go into the afterlife without it. But, with the investigation and him having to leave tonight, Shisui was going to have to wait just a bit longer to receive it. It wasn't just that it was from his favorite little Hyuuga that made it so important, and Itachi knew this all too well. He didn't trust anyone around here enough to understand its meaning and keep it safe, and definitely not without raising alarms. He couldn't very well have a conversation about the Hyuuga Heiress about why she needed to keep it safe in the meantime without making her a target, not after he'd just recklessly revealed to his father that he had it.

Sighing, he laid down on his bed fully clothed, and stared blankly at the ceiling. He needed to wait a few couple more hours before gathering his things and going to Danzo. He brought the calming bag to his nose and gave it a whiff. The scents had mostly faded but there was a hint of it still there and he grimaced as he thought of Shisui. He reached up to his ear, suddenly remembering the flower Hinata had put on him, and took it off.

He stared at it for a while, thinking about nothing and everything. It was almost as comforting as staring out into the horizon. He reached up to the desk next to his bed and pulled a random book off of it. He gave it another look before tucking it between the pages and returning the book to its place.

Quicker than he realized, the hours had come and gone and it was time for him to go. He glanced about his room as he sat up, taking everything in for the last time. There was a possibility of him being able to return but that was far in the future, and he wasn't going to hold his breath. He was about to become a missing-nin.

He was willing to do what needed to be done in order to protect the village for those that came after him, like Sasuke. Especially Sasuke, even if he had to hurt him a little bit to do it.

After putting on his gear and tucking the calming bag into one of his pockets, Itachi silently slipped into Sasuke's room. He stared down at his brother's sleeping face, noting how young and innocent he looked without the stress of perfection weighing him down—although he knew his younger brother compared himself to him. Itachi wished he could stay like that forever, but he knew his leaving was going to change him. He soundlessly said goodbye to his little brother before leaving through the window.

I hope you can forgive me one day.

In the dead of the night, with a waning crescent moon as his only source of light, he rushed to Danzo's organization where he was also known to reside with his sharingan activated. He was ready for anyone that was waiting for him. He'd felt eyes watching him that didn't belong to his clan and knew it was Danzo keeping a close eye on him. He was waiting for Itachi, for the perfect moment to take him out…and he wasn't going to give it to him.

After infiltrating the building much too easily, he waited. All lights were off but his instincts were sharp and his doujutsu improved his chances as well.

"Itachi," Danzo's voice echoed around him, amplified by the large empty space of his building, "so you've come."

"I've come for you," Itachi replied.

Danzo chuckled. "These are not the actions of a man innocent of murdering his beloved cousin."

The corner of Itachi's mouth ticked upward. "You and I both know what really happened though, don't we?"

"It was you who was the last person to see Shisui."

"Yes, but certainly not the last person who injured him. Now, don't make me go to you, Danzo, or you'll regret it," he replied.

"You think you can hurt me?"

"Of course, but I'm sure we're not alone. You're never without your human shields there to fall on the swords you're too much of a coward to take. I hear that is how Lord Third was picked by The Second," Itachi provoked. "He was the only one brave enough to even suggest sacrificing himself while you stayed silent and terrified of death. That's what separates you from true, honorable shinobi. They're willing to die for their villages, for their causes, while you just plot and skulk around behind the scenes, letting others do your dirty work. How devastatingly pathetic; I wonder how you can even live with yourself." People like Danzo, he despised. Spineless, no-good, backstabbing people who had to audacity to call themselves shinobi. They're worse than scum.

"You're spouting about things you know nothing of!"

"On the contrary, I know everything. And I'm here to tell you should you step out of line, or make any move toward my family, my brother, or friends, I will not hesitate to disclose any classified information to the surrounding villages. And I will definitely not hesitate to come back for you, to take you down," he threatened. He loved the village dearly, but absolutely no more than Sasuke.

"You dare threaten an official of Konoha?!"

"You do not deserve to affiliate yourself with Konohagakure!" Itachi, finally pinpointing Danzo's location, body flickers behind the man and runs him through with his sword. The man bursts into a cloud of smoke, but Itachi was expecting him to do so. Danzo was no idiot.

"You think you can kill me?!" Danzo growled, the echo ringing Itachi's ears.

"It'd save the village a lot of trouble if I did, but you play dirty. You always have," Itachi responded. Just then, multiple operatives of Danzo's jumped out of the dark. "This time would be no different." He got into a fighting stance. "Please, don't make me fight you. Danzo does not care for the village, you must see that!"

He knew he wasn't going to get through to any of them but he held out hope until the first kunai flew toward him. He easily deflected it with his own weapon and gathered chakra to his feet before rushing for his true enemy, swiftly taking out the operatives as he flew by. From the corner of his vision, he saw an operative jump and dash away.

"You think you have time to kill me?" Danzo chuckled, twistedly amused.

Itachi clenched his jaw as he realized where that shinobi went. His options were to track them down and risk Danzo getting away, chance fighting Danzo right now and risk even more powerful ninja showing up, or flee the village right now.

Looking at Danzo with only the light from the moon shining through the windows of the large building, he knew the man had also come to these conclusions.

Itachi gritted his teeth. "Remember, one step out of line and you'll be responsible for the beginning of Konoha's downfall. And I will find out." Then he body flickered out of the building and jumped into the forest.

Danzo waited and then smiled when he felt their presence. "I suppose you heard all of that. The boy is convinced I am a traitor and made threats against Konoha."

Hamura and Koharu revealed themselves from the shadows. "Yes, it appears you were right about Itachi. Such a shame. He's a very talented ninja and would've been useful for years to come. Now, unfortunately, we cannot allow him to roam around after having made threats to leak classified information," Homura said.

"I agree. Whether he makes it out of the village or not, he will be hunted until his dying day," Koharu added as she looked over at all the lifeless bodies. "He did not injure you, did he, Danzo?"

"No, these brave ninjas valiantly fought and held him off."

"Itachi Uchiha must be brought down."

---

Jumping through the trees, Itachi raced to the spot he picked out earlier. Cursing, he thought about the runaway operative. He'd been so focused on getting to Danzo that he never thought the man would send one of them away for help, but the man was a coward. Thinking back on how he evaded him and let Itachi bring down his men, Itachi nearly lost his cool. Danzo wanted him to strike them down. They were sacrifices. That means he probably had other officials watching the entire thing or at least part of it. That's why he didn't attack. He wanted to punch something desperately.

"Itachi!" At the voice, Itachi smirked and came to a stop on a branch. Inabi and Yashiro revealed themselves. "You tried to attack Danzo! You killed other Konoha shinobi, so there's no longer any doubt that you killed Shisui!"

Itachi almost wanted to smack his forehead. "You must learn to look at the bigger picture. Things are not always as they seem. As part of the police force where your job is to investigate, you're horrifically blind to what goes on in the shadows."

The two growled. "We sent one of our partners to get Fugaku-sama. We just have to hold you off until that happens!"

Getting into his fighting stance, Itachi smirked. "I beat you not too long ago and you're asking for more? Pathetic." Before the two had a chance to respond, Itachi was in front of them, landing a perfect hit on Yashiro's chest and knocking the wind out of him as he slammed into the tree. He spun into a spinning kick, catching Inabi off guard as he expected Itachi to try and punch him as well.

Inabi flew to the ground, breaking his arm. He groaned in pain but leaped to his feet as he saw Itachi speeding down with his sword pointed at his chest. "You're trying to kill us?!" He asked, clutching his arm as he kneeled.

"Were you planning on apprehending me alive?"

Inabi glared. "What happened with Shisui?"

Itachi's sharingan activated and he watched as Inabi's eyes widened in shock and fear at the mangekyou. "You…You actually killed him. All for what, power?!"

As Itachi was about to answer, he sensed Yashiro coming for him and body flickered behind him. When the two looked at him, he pulled them into the Tsukuyomi. Here, he could torture them for days and days in their minds, but would never last longer than a few moments on earth. Only the mentally strong could hope to recover from it, and these men were anything but. The mental strain would kill them, of that he was sure.

He didn't want to hurt any of his fellow clansmen, but he needed to leave. Turning away, he fled back into the trees and was passing near the Uchiha district when he heard a small voice call out to him.

"Brother!" It was Sasuke. He came to a stop and Sasuke was in front of him a second later.

"Go home, Sasuke," Itachi said, his voice cold and unlike anything Sasuke had ever heard from his brother.

"What are you doing? You said you didn't have any missions. Why are you leaving?"

"I'm leaving the village for good."

Sasuke's eyes widened and then he glared. "You really killed Shisui, didn't you? I didn't believe any of them when they said that, not even father! But only the guilty run!"

Itachi glared at his little brother, this kid who didn't know the truth about the village he lived in or the shinobi world. "Did I kill him or am I innocent?" He asked though it sounded more like a statement. "Would you like to know?"

"Yes! He was your best friend, Itachi! You…You sat there with us earlier as we mourned him! You saw what it did to us and you still acted like the grieving best friend!" Sasuke yelled. "Tell me why you did it!"

"You'll have to become stronger, much stronger, and beat me in battle. Only then will I tell you," Itachi said, ignoring everything else he said. He couldn't very well tell Sasuke that he was truly grieving and had only been a witness to his cousin's death due to Danzo.

Sasuke growled and got into his fighting stance. "Fine!"

Itachi activated his sharingan and let Sasuke watch as it spun into the mangekyou. "You will never beat me as weak as you are now."

"What's…what's wrong with your eyes?" The sharingan, the ones he'd seen, didn't look like that.

"This is called the Mangekyou Sharingan. It can only be achieved by the death of your best friend," Itachi explained.

"So then, you really…?!"

"I said you will have to defeat me if you wish to hear the truth."

"I will!" Sasuke cried out as he lunged at Itachi, his own eyes changing from midnight black to a red sharingan, officially awakening his doujutsu. This made Itachi proud of his brother, but sad that he was the cause. In mid-air, Sasuke grabbed his shuriken and threw them, using the new technique he began learning earlier that day.

Itachi, surprised at the use of it, dodged one but the second one hit his forehead protector. He watched it fall and hit the ground beneath them. He wanted to laugh at the fact Sasuke managed to get him with such an underwhelming technique, but he was more frustrated with himself for falling for it. All the fumbling he was doing to get out of the village was making him sloppy, especially since he hadn't expected to face Sasuke on the way.

"You'll have to bring me back to the village first!" Itachi yelled before he pulled Sasuke into a genjutsu. He caught the child as he fell to the ground. "Goodbye, Sasuke…I'm sorry."

Itachi gathered him up and carried his little brother to the gates of the Uchiha District. After making sure someone would eventually find him, he resumed his original task. So far, no other ninja had come for him but he knew it was only a matter of time. Following this, he made one more stop that lasted less than thirty seconds before making his way to the spot in the area he decided to flee from. As he got closer to the gates, he felt anxious and yet also as though some of the weight on his shoulders was leaving, but not completely gone.

Just before he passed the gate, he came face-to-face with the Hokage. "I was hoping I'd run into you on my way out, Hokage-sama," Itachi said, bowing his said.

"You attacked a Konoha official and slaughtered a number of your comrades," The Hokage said.

"A man came to me recently to recruit me for the Akatsuki. I haven't been able to meet you to inform you," Itachi explained, avoiding what Hiruzen stated.

"The Akatsuki? I see. I supposed this is your way of saying you're joining them?"

Itachi nodded. "I will keep you informed of their activities as well as do my best to keep them away from Konoha."

"You realize that there is no coming back from this, yes? You will now be in the Bingo Book and labeled a rogue nin," Hiruzen said, wanting Itachi to fully understand the position he was in. "Are you prepared for that?"

"I've been prepared for that since Shisui entrusted me with his will and fell to his death," Itachi answered. "I only ask that you ensure Minato-san keeps his promise and treats the Uchiha Clan properly…for the sake of the village. And that Danzo will keep his hands away from my brother and his friends."

"You have my word."

"Thank you, Hokage-sama." Itachi bowed deeply, knowing it would be a while before he saw this man again.

"I know you didn't kill Shisui. I want you to know that."

Itachi paused at this and closed his eyes briefly in relief. They snapped open again when he sensed multiple ninja coming. "Thank you," he repeated. And then he was gone.

Hiruzen let out a long, tired sigh as he thought of the mess he would have to deal with. His first task was going to be abolishing Danzo's Root Organization. He's let it go on too long. It was going to be his final act as Hokage, before Minato took over in the coming months.

As he was walking away, nearly a whole army compiled of some of the strongest shinobi in the village appeared in formation. "Lord Hokage, sir!" Inoichi Yamanaka, Head of the Yamanaka Clan said.

The Hokage put his hand up. "Itachi Uchiha is gone."

"Shall we send units after him?" Inoichi asked, giving Shikaku Nara, Head of the Nara Clan an inquisitive look.

"Let him go," Hiruzen said, shocking the entire unit.

"Hokage-sama, he slaughtered many Konoha shinobi!" Inoichi argued.

"Outside of these walls, I'm afraid to say that he has the help of a notorious mercenary organization, the Akatsuki," he explained.

"He joined the Akatsuki?" Shikaku said, stepping up. Hiruzen nodded. "Then I suppose it is safe to assume that he really was the one who killed Shisui Uchiha. Shisui must've found out about Itachi's coming defection and tried to stop him but was overcome." The genius' mind was already churning out multiple ways in which this situation made sense.

"Shikaku-kun, that is still an ongoing investigation." Hiruzen couldn't come out and say Itachi was innocent without compromising his new informant. He wasn't willing to do that.

A few moments later, Fugaku Uchiha appeared. "Hokage-sama!" He moved forward and bowed deeply. "I deeply apologize for the harm my son has caused. I promise to take care of this as swiftly as possible!"

Hiruzen turned and patted the man's shoulder. "Teenagers, right?" He chuckled. "Fugaku-kun, Itachi made his choice; it being a darker decision does not make it your fault. Everyone, go home and get some rest. Itachi is long gone by now, so tomorrow we will start bright and early to ensure that those killed are laid to rest with the village heroes. Only after will we work to make sure he is brought back to the village."

Despite the confusion, they had no choice but to obey the orders of their village leader. Fugaku, most of all, was bewildered by the Hokage's words. Inoichi came up next to the Uchiha Clan Head and put a hand on his shoulder.

"Sasuke was found passed out in front of the Uchiha District. It looks like he was put in some kind of genjutsu. There were also reports of two Uchihas found in a similar but more deadly state. Sasuke awoke when he was released, but the other two haven't been too lucky. They can't be awoken and it seems their bodies are giving out."

At this news, Fugaku's eyes widened. He knew what type of genjutsu they were in and only the caster or the target's will could break them out of it.

Itachi…

Miles outside of the village, Itachi is once again stopped, but this time by the masked Akatsuki member who called himself Tobi.

"Is Itachi ready to go?" Tobi asked. Itachi nodded and they were off, leaving Konoha behind them. By the time morning came, Itachi wore his forehead protector with a slash through the village symbol and a silver ring with the symbol for "crimson" on top in black with a red background on his right ring finger. He was an official member of the Akatsuki, and now his true mission could begin.

Shisui…Sasuke…I do this for you.

---

We hope y'all enjoyed this chapter! It's the longest one so far at around 14,000 words. I want to mention that I know Itachi's character is different, but that's what we wanted. We had to account for the changes made to the story and how it all would have affected Itachi as a person (not just the story entirely). There will be no Uchiha massacre as they decided they wouldn't go ahead with the coup due to Minato's future leadership. They decided to trust in him, but that doesn't mean everything is completely okay. The Uchiha (and Hyuuga) are more trusted thanks to Minato, but there's still some animosity there. However, it isn't big enough to constitute a coup or anything of the sort. I didn't want to have too long of an author's note as I wanted to let the story explain itself but this is such an important chapter and something R3d and I worked very hard on that I'm actually nervous posting it! At any rate, thanks for reading. I hope to see y'all in the reviews!

-hina

NEXT UPDATE: 05/19/23?